View full sizeThe City of Chickasaw sponsored a rummage sale on April 6 to benefit the Chickasaw Historic Preservation Society. Participants and customers included, from left, Chickasaw firefighter T.J. Gollotte, checking out the wares of Teresa Goolsby, president of the Society; Jennifer White, Chickasaw City Council member and sale booth operator; and Firefighter Steve Hughes. (Jo Anne McKnight / Press-Register Correspondent)

The City of Chickasaw sponsored a rummage sale on April 6 to benefit the Chickasaw Historic Preservation Society. Two of Chickasaw's finest -- firefighters, not police officers -- were among the earliest arrivals, as T.J. Gollotte and Steve Hughes donned warm clothes and visited the booths of Historic Society president Teresa Goolsby and City Council member Jennifer White at 6:30 a.m. The society will use proceeds to further historic preservation and education in Chickasaw.

It's not every day a lady turns 100, and Ms. Betty McDavid of Saraland, who reached the century mark recently, is making the most of it. She celebrated with friends at Saraland Senior Center a couple weeks ago, and on April 6, she shared another celebration with 150 friends, family and fellow church members at Saraland United Methodist Church. One guest with fond memories of Ms. Betty was Ann Cheeseman, who, when she first got married, lived with her husband in a room upstairs at the McDavid home. The women maintain their friendship all these years later.

At the 15th annual Walking for the Memories fundraising for cancer event in Grand Bay April 6, one group that stood out was Team Chastity, several young women about 30 years old. Though Walking for the Memories raises funds for the University of South Alabama's Mitchell Cancer Institute, Barbara Hudson, who began the walk in memory of her friend Karen Poiroux, welcomed the group of women (and their families and friends) who were there to raise support for their friend Chastity Touchstone, a Mary G. Montgomery High School teacher undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Among those at the event were Kirbi Johnston, Landon and Trevor Johnston, Crystal Smith, Sanna Collier and Landon Collier, Brooksy Bennett, Nikki Carey-Nicholson, Tabitha Cain, Amanda Watson, Jackie Stauter; Chastity's mother, Nina Hamilton Stinson; her grandmother, Barbara Hamilton; and her uncle, Eric Collier. Chastity's south Mobile County supporters grew up with her and most attended high school with her, Kirbi Johnston said.

Coming up

The University of Mobile Center for Performing Arts and School of Worship Leadership will present the comic opera “Pirates of Penzance” at Saraland Performing Arts Center at Saraland High School on April 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. and April 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and $22 for adults, and can be purchased at the door. The play is directed by Patrick Jacobs, associate professor of music at UM, and stars Benjamin Folse, a junior musical theater major from Coden, as Frederic. The role of Mabel will be played by Hillary Vest and Mary Laura Boyett. For information, call 251-442-2420.

The Citronelle Historical Preservation Society's Surrender Oak Festival is May 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and participants are needed to demonstrate their skills, to sell their craft items or to exhibit their collections of old-fashioned implements, utensils and other items. For more information or to download a vendor application, visit CHPS website at www.citronelle.org.

The first graduating class of Satsuma High School, Class of 1958, and the second class, 1959, will hold their 55th class reunion on April 27 at 4 p.m. at Felix's Fish Camp on the Causeway in the Alligator Room. For information, contact Fritz Danzey at fritzdanzey@yahoo.com or 251-679-0740.

Senior events

There will be a Rook Tournament at Saraland Civic Center on Tuesday, April 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Seniors will have Coffee with the Mayor on Wednesday, April 17 at 9 a.m. at the Senior Center, 718 Mae St. And a Spring Dance is set for Saturday, April 20, 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 716 Mae St.

Fundraisers

The City of Satsuma will host a disc golf tournament fundraiser for Relay for Life on Saturday, April 27; registration will be at 9 a.m. with tee time at 10 a.m. The benefit will be held at the disc golf course at the entrance to Steele Creek Lodge. Entrance fee is $20 per person. For information, call Edith Butler at City Hall, 251-675-1440.

The second annual "Riding with the Don" Relay for Life fundraising event at First Baptist Church of Satsuma is Sunday, April 21. Participants are asked to arrive at the church on Old Highway 43 by 10:30 a.m. and park their bikes in the space reserved for them. Sam Wooley will be the guest speaker. After the service, riders will enjoy soup and a sandwich, then join Don Herrin and the rest of the cyclists for a three-hour ride. Donations will be received for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. For information or to RSVP, contact Alisa Lowery at 251-675-1280 or email Alisa@fbcsatsuma.org.

The Rev. Diane Baldwin, pastor at Georgetown-Chunchula United Methodist Church, is requesting that the public support the church's effort to win a $20,000 Walmart "Fighting Hunger” grant to increase aid to families and communities served by Georgetown-Chunchula, West Wilmer and Citronelle Methodist Churches. It's easy: Just vote once a day, every day during April at https://apps.facebook.com/walmartlocal/?applet=hunger&organization=52&agency=1

One Meal for the homeless would like donations of canned whole kernel and cream style corn, string beans and chicken broth/stock. Also needed are Styrofoam carry-out plates and spices, except for salt and black pepper, To donate these items, call Mike McKinley at 251-379-9014; to make a monetary contribution, write a check to One Meal and mail it to 108 Joginell Circle North, Satsuma, AL 36572.